THE BIRDS OF NORTH CACHAR. 129 



compact, deep little moss cup with straight walls, the base being, if 

 anything, broader than the top, in diameter not more than 2" and about 

 2 , 5'' in depth, whilst the egg cavity measured about l'¥ by 1". No- 

 thing was used in its construction except moss, and there was no lining. 

 This nest was said to have been built on the ground amongst a quantity 

 of small boulders beside the Laisung Stream. The second nest was 

 brought to me with the parent bird in May, 1892, and exactly resembles 

 that just described in every respect. Instead, however, of having been 

 built on the ground, it was placed on a horizontal branch just as are so 

 many nests of M. rhipidura. The first nest contained three eggs of a 

 type quite unlike that of JR. rhipidura, and I cannot help thinking I 

 was deceived with them. The ground is a very faint creamy-white, 

 and the markings consist of a few faint blotches of reddish-brown. 

 The shape is long and rather pointed, the texture coarse and strong for 

 the size of the egg, and, though smooth, exhibits no gloss. They 

 measure '§l n X'±l\ -61"* '41" and -60"X-40". 



The second nest also contained three eggs, two of which were too 

 much broken to preserve. The third egg (the other two closely 

 resembled it) is a broad obtuse oval, measuring *55" X '45'' ; the shell 

 fragile and smooth without any gloss. 



In colour it is white faintly tinged with yellow-cream, and it is spotted 

 and blotched profusely at the larger end with grey and yellowish- 

 brown, the blotches forming a blurred and badly defined ring. 



I believe both the nests to have belonged to Chelidorliynx ; but, if 

 the last described egg is correct, then the others cannot be, unless, 

 which is unlikely, the eggs of this bird vary as much as do those of 

 Franklinia and Alcippe. 



(259) Rhepiduka albifbontata. — The White-browed Fantail 



Fly-catcher. 

 Oates, No. 604 ; Hume No. 292. 

 Though not very common, still by no means as rare as one would 

 imagine, considering how seldom it is met with in other parts of Assam. 



(260) R. albicollis. — The White-throated Fantail Fly-catcher. 



Oates, No. 605; Hume, No. 291. 

 Rather more common than the last. 



Family Turdidce. 

 Sub-family Saxicolince. 



